Exclusive PARADOX interview
PARADOX aka Alaska has been keepin the Drum n Bass scene edgy with killer tunes such as Certain Sound, Drum Sessions and Play Twice Before Listening for what seems like an eternity. Five releases short of his centenary, the spikey-haired drum funk veteran talks to Drumz of The South about influences, the joys of crate-digging, lesbian porn and why he can't stand "dibby-dibby-dibby" MCs.
You're well known for inspiring many up-and-coming producers. Who or what inspired you to start making music?
PARADOX: No one in particular. I was listening to breakbeat and rap, such as Eric B and Rakim and Big Daddy Kane, and was keen to see where they got their breaks from in tunes such as Cherish. I started delving into my dad's record collection when I was about 15 and it turned into a bit of an obsession. It was the year when everyone started making hardcore and Chicago house. I got together with a friend and started making music that was soon signed to Moving Shadow. Suburban Bass and XL were also interested. My mate Dave [DJ Trax] wanted to go with XL but we signed with Moving Shadow because we liked the logo! So, back to the question, my inspiration was mostly from hip-hop groups sampling funk records.
So it was simply the logo that made you sign to MS?
Yeah, pretty much! I mean, we had the choice between all those labels and they were all in Essex, so we decided on MS cos we thought the logo was cool and would sit there for ages trying to work out what it was! Funny thing is, after we signed I started designing house bags for Moving Shadow. I used to be into art when I was at college.
Did you teach yourself how to produce?
I taught myself how to produce and my sound was always changing with the equipment and experience. Back then, we didn't have PCs, we had samplers. Now you can make a 16-bit track that sounds like a CD. Sometimes I purposely add crackle to my tunes for that authentic sound. I don't like the clean sound. The dirty sound has more energy, that's a Reinforced way of doing things!
Where do you get your breaks from?
I crate-dig! You can also get some wicked breaks from mainstream music shops if you're prepared to search. I dig through friends record collections and go to record fairs quite a lot. If I know I'll come back with some wicked breaks and samples, I'll sometimes pay for a flight to San Francisco. There's a shop there where, by appointment, they give you the key to the basement and you can spend as much time as you want crate-digging. There are boxes and boxes of records stacked on top of each other. They usually leave me in there and I'll sit and listen to all of them and come back with a pile of stuff. There's another place called Moby, which used to be a bowling alley and it's now a record shop. I was in there for 22 hours once. I took a packed lunch and just stayed in there!
Is it true you used to be an MC?
Yeah, I used to be a hip-hop MC under the name Mix Race. Actually, most of my first 12"s on Moving Shadow were me rapping and and an a cappella. I remember that MS were like, "Is this Hardcore?" Our computers didn't have BPM counters back then so we didn't realise that they were so fast! In the end, production took over and I stopped rapping. When I listened to that MC stuff again I thought it sounded shit but I couldn't escape it for a while because people had started to sample my tunes and I'd hear bits of my voice here and there.
What do you think of MCs in DnB?
Although I like hip-hop MCs, personally, I can't stand MCs in drum'n'bass. It's just not my thing really cos I'm a producer. All that "dibby-dibby-dibby" stuff does my head in.
Are you feeling any HH at the mo?
Roots Manuva's cool and people like Public Enemy used to inspire me to make tunes cos of their breaks. I'm not into US hip-hop these days though.
Are there any of your own tunes that particularly stand out?
I've had 95 12 inches out since I started which makes it difficult to say. I was in Switzerland once and I heard a track and said, "Yeah this is wicked, who is it?" The bloke standing next to me looked at me as if I was mad and was like, "Mate, this is yours!" Turns out it was an Italian track from 2000. After 95 12 inches you sorta lose track y'know!
Certain Sounds vs Certain Sounds Remix?
Probably the original.The BPM is slower - it's at 160. Also it sounds muddy like I fucked up the EQ, which I didn't purposely do. The remix is a bit too polished.
Do you have a Desert Island Disc?
Find Me by Scanna. It's a DnB tune, but he does house now. I love the chords, it's got that real desert island vibe so it has to be that.
So what's this about porn soundtracks?
[Looks a bit confused]. I have no idea what you're talking about! Oh actually, I did some music for a lesbian DVD. I was playing in a bar in Germany and a guy came up to me and said he liked my sound, told me he made "girl films" to music and asked me if I was interested, so of course I said yes. He put me in a studio and I had to choose the girls that I wanted to dance along to my music. It was cool actually, the editing matched the music perfectly and the girls were so in time so it all flowed nicely. The guy asked me if I wanted my usual name credited on the film, and I was like "Yes! I'm proud of this shit!"
In your shows you make a real effort to educate people about the breaks that you use. Why is that so important?
I have to! I want people to sample my breaks not my tunes and also, it's promoting crate digging. Pre the polished sound of producers like Andy C, everyone was crate digging and using breaks but now it's not so popular. Also, other producers are like, "Let Dev do it" so I've kinda taken it on board! From a personal point of view, it helps to differentiate between records - this is a live show, not a DJ so remember what you saw and heard. The hope is to inspire someone in the audience to make music using breaks... it's about brainwashing!
Will you ever DJ?
I just got my decks Two days ago actually! It might happen next year because I have more responsibility now that I have three labels to promote. I'll never stop the live shows though.
It seems that you're always traveling. Do you ever get tired of touring?
Yeah I do. There comes a point when you have to stop and breathe you know. I get ill like I am at the moment because I'm flying from country to country, breathing in airplane air conditioning and getting jet lagged!
What's the future for Paradox?
Well, I've got the labels on the go, I've just finished the Alaska Virtual Virtuosos LP and I've been working with Seba, Calibre and Big Bud on a few things. I think the Calibre stuff might shock people a little bit because they know him as having a certain sound. I'm also remixing some Herbie Hancock stuff and joining a band with Bill Laswell (the legendary bassist). There's lots happening this year!
Check the archived event of the Alaska Virtual Virtuosos lp launch here
Paradox forthcoming at Double Vision. Click Here for details.
www.paradoxmusic.com
Interview by Georgina C. With thanks to Skope and Uncle Pauly
You're well known for inspiring many up-and-coming producers. Who or what inspired you to start making music?
PARADOX: No one in particular. I was listening to breakbeat and rap, such as Eric B and Rakim and Big Daddy Kane, and was keen to see where they got their breaks from in tunes such as Cherish. I started delving into my dad's record collection when I was about 15 and it turned into a bit of an obsession. It was the year when everyone started making hardcore and Chicago house. I got together with a friend and started making music that was soon signed to Moving Shadow. Suburban Bass and XL were also interested. My mate Dave [DJ Trax] wanted to go with XL but we signed with Moving Shadow because we liked the logo! So, back to the question, my inspiration was mostly from hip-hop groups sampling funk records.
So it was simply the logo that made you sign to MS?
Yeah, pretty much! I mean, we had the choice between all those labels and they were all in Essex, so we decided on MS cos we thought the logo was cool and would sit there for ages trying to work out what it was! Funny thing is, after we signed I started designing house bags for Moving Shadow. I used to be into art when I was at college.
Did you teach yourself how to produce?
I taught myself how to produce and my sound was always changing with the equipment and experience. Back then, we didn't have PCs, we had samplers. Now you can make a 16-bit track that sounds like a CD. Sometimes I purposely add crackle to my tunes for that authentic sound. I don't like the clean sound. The dirty sound has more energy, that's a Reinforced way of doing things!
Where do you get your breaks from?
I crate-dig! You can also get some wicked breaks from mainstream music shops if you're prepared to search. I dig through friends record collections and go to record fairs quite a lot. If I know I'll come back with some wicked breaks and samples, I'll sometimes pay for a flight to San Francisco. There's a shop there where, by appointment, they give you the key to the basement and you can spend as much time as you want crate-digging. There are boxes and boxes of records stacked on top of each other. They usually leave me in there and I'll sit and listen to all of them and come back with a pile of stuff. There's another place called Moby, which used to be a bowling alley and it's now a record shop. I was in there for 22 hours once. I took a packed lunch and just stayed in there!
Is it true you used to be an MC?
Yeah, I used to be a hip-hop MC under the name Mix Race. Actually, most of my first 12"s on Moving Shadow were me rapping and and an a cappella. I remember that MS were like, "Is this Hardcore?" Our computers didn't have BPM counters back then so we didn't realise that they were so fast! In the end, production took over and I stopped rapping. When I listened to that MC stuff again I thought it sounded shit but I couldn't escape it for a while because people had started to sample my tunes and I'd hear bits of my voice here and there.
What do you think of MCs in DnB?
Although I like hip-hop MCs, personally, I can't stand MCs in drum'n'bass. It's just not my thing really cos I'm a producer. All that "dibby-dibby-dibby" stuff does my head in.
Are you feeling any HH at the mo?
Roots Manuva's cool and people like Public Enemy used to inspire me to make tunes cos of their breaks. I'm not into US hip-hop these days though.
Are there any of your own tunes that particularly stand out?
I've had 95 12 inches out since I started which makes it difficult to say. I was in Switzerland once and I heard a track and said, "Yeah this is wicked, who is it?" The bloke standing next to me looked at me as if I was mad and was like, "Mate, this is yours!" Turns out it was an Italian track from 2000. After 95 12 inches you sorta lose track y'know!
Certain Sounds vs Certain Sounds Remix?
Probably the original.The BPM is slower - it's at 160. Also it sounds muddy like I fucked up the EQ, which I didn't purposely do. The remix is a bit too polished.
Do you have a Desert Island Disc?
Find Me by Scanna. It's a DnB tune, but he does house now. I love the chords, it's got that real desert island vibe so it has to be that.
So what's this about porn soundtracks?
[Looks a bit confused]. I have no idea what you're talking about! Oh actually, I did some music for a lesbian DVD. I was playing in a bar in Germany and a guy came up to me and said he liked my sound, told me he made "girl films" to music and asked me if I was interested, so of course I said yes. He put me in a studio and I had to choose the girls that I wanted to dance along to my music. It was cool actually, the editing matched the music perfectly and the girls were so in time so it all flowed nicely. The guy asked me if I wanted my usual name credited on the film, and I was like "Yes! I'm proud of this shit!"
In your shows you make a real effort to educate people about the breaks that you use. Why is that so important?
I have to! I want people to sample my breaks not my tunes and also, it's promoting crate digging. Pre the polished sound of producers like Andy C, everyone was crate digging and using breaks but now it's not so popular. Also, other producers are like, "Let Dev do it" so I've kinda taken it on board! From a personal point of view, it helps to differentiate between records - this is a live show, not a DJ so remember what you saw and heard. The hope is to inspire someone in the audience to make music using breaks... it's about brainwashing!
Will you ever DJ?
I just got my decks Two days ago actually! It might happen next year because I have more responsibility now that I have three labels to promote. I'll never stop the live shows though.
It seems that you're always traveling. Do you ever get tired of touring?
Yeah I do. There comes a point when you have to stop and breathe you know. I get ill like I am at the moment because I'm flying from country to country, breathing in airplane air conditioning and getting jet lagged!
What's the future for Paradox?
Well, I've got the labels on the go, I've just finished the Alaska Virtual Virtuosos LP and I've been working with Seba, Calibre and Big Bud on a few things. I think the Calibre stuff might shock people a little bit because they know him as having a certain sound. I'm also remixing some Herbie Hancock stuff and joining a band with Bill Laswell (the legendary bassist). There's lots happening this year!
Check the archived event of the Alaska Virtual Virtuosos lp launch here
Paradox forthcoming at Double Vision. Click Here for details.
www.paradoxmusic.com
Interview by Georgina C. With thanks to Skope and Uncle Pauly
Labels: interviews, music, words
posted by ∞ infinite ∞ at
1:34 AM
1 Comments:
yeah big up Dev and his amiga, nice little interview folks :) I swear down he's had that same hairstyle since moving shadow 18 tho!
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